Study Reveals How Alcohol Shrinks Your Brain
Image Source: UPenn Today
Most people know that heavy drinking (2+ drinks a day) can increase risk of disease and cognitive impairment. But a new study of more than 36,000 adults shows that even light-to-moderate drinking might reduce your overall brain volume. For example, among 50-year-olds, researchers found that as drinking increased from one alcohol unit (half a beer or glass of wine) to two units (a pint of beer or full glass of wine) per day, there were associated brain changes equivalent to aging two years. Going from two to three alcohol units a day was like aging three and half years. Hm...where did I put that mocktail cookbook?
Image Source: Reuters/Ardee Napolitano
Beer innovations never cease. The French brewer Hoppy Urban Brew (HUB) recently partnered with a local producer of spirulina (blue-green agae) to make blue-colored beer. Called "Line," the beer sold so well that HUB is ramping up production to meet growing demand. Only the blue "phycocyanin" pigment of spirulina is added to the brew, which tasters describe as light, hoppy, and fruity without a hint of pond scum.
It's Increasingly Likely That Your Fancy Bourbon Is Counterfeit
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In 2018, lab tests showed that more than 30% of rare Scotch on the market is fake. Now counterfeiters have jumped on the bourbon bandwagon. Buffalo Trace, maker of coveted bourbons like Pappy Van Winkle, Blanton's, and Double Eagle, issued a statement warning customers be on the lookout for fakes. The company hopes to avoid scams like the one that befell Acker Wines, America's oldest wine shop, which unwittingly sold a fake bottle of Colonel E.H. Taylor Four Grain bourbon for $1,000.
Champagne Pops Sales Records As Demand Flows Again
Image Source: Charles Platiau/Reuters
In the champagne world, 2020 was as flat as day-old root beer. But this year, bubbly revenues have risen higher than ever to $6.2 billion. That's well ahead of the tipple's previous sales record of $5.6 billion set just before the pandemic hit. I guess people are finally finding things to celebrate again. Omicron be damned: We're going to toast to 2022 this weekend!
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Researchers Analyze How Climate Change Will Affect The Taste Of Coffee
Image Source: Yevgen Romanenko / Getty Images
High elevation and lots of shade create the best-tasting coffee. That allows the beans to ripen slowly and develop more flavor. What's happening as the planet warms? Can these growing conditions be maintained? To find out, scientists from Tufts University and Montana State University analyzed more than 70 studies. They concluded that nothing can be done about warming temps at high elevations. But to preserve shade-grown crops, growth canopies can limit sun exposure and help improve flavor in coffee beans.
Uber Acquires Drizly For $1.1 Billion, Paving The Way For Digital Alcohol Delivery
Image Source: David L. Ryan/Globe Staff
The alcohol delivery service Drizly will soon appear on the popular Uber Eats app. While Drizly itself doesn't deliver alcohol, its tech allows local liquor stores to deliver alcohol directly to consumers. Users of Uber Eats will soon be able to shop for alcoholic beverages along with restaurant takeout, grocery and convenience store items, and other retail products.
